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This steak fajita marinade is made with olive oil, orange juice, lime juice, garlic and flavorful herbs and spices that result in tender and juicy fajitas!
If you’re in the mood for some fajitas tonight, you’re going to want to make this steak fajita marinade recipe!
It comes together in only 10 minutes, and once you toss it with the steak, all you have to do is sit back, relax and let the marinade do all the work. The end result is a rewarding tender, juicy and super flavorful steak that will make fajita night a hit!
Here’s what you need to get started.
Beef Fajita Marinade Ingredients
- Fat: Olive oil
- Citrus: Orange juice, lime juice
- Herbs and spices: Garlic, cumin, chili powder, oregano, smoked paprika
- A little something extra special: cilantro
How Long to Marinate Steak Fajitas
I recommend marinating the steak (either flank or skirt steak) for anywhere from 2 to 8 hours. Anything longer than that and the texture of the meat begins to change, so make sure not to go over that time.
If you’re short on time, don’t fret. You can marinate the meat for a minimum of 30 minutes and still get some good flavor out of it.
How to Make This Steak Fajita Marinade
It comes together in about five minutes, and most of the work is just waiting.
- Mix the marinade. Add the olive oil, orange juice, lime juice, garlic, cumin, chili powder, oregano, smoked paprika, and cilantro to a large resealable bag or a big mixing bowl and stir it all together.
- Add the steak. Drop in your skirt or flank steak and toss it around so every side is coated.
- Marinate. Seal the bag or cover the bowl and stick it in the fridge for 2 to 8 hours.
- Pat it dry. Take the steak out of the marinade, move it to a clean surface, and pat both sides dry with paper towels.
- Season and cook. Sprinkle both sides with kosher salt and black pepper, then grill or cook it to whatever internal temperature you like.
Tips for the Perfect Fajita Marinade
A few things that make a real difference.
- Use skirt or flank steak. Both are thin, flavorful cuts that soak up marinade fast and cook in just a few minutes. Skirt is the fattier of the two and has a looser grain, so it’s my pick if you can find it.
- Don’t cut the steak before marinating. Marinate the whole piece and slice it after it’s cooked. Sliced meat sitting in an acidic marinade can get mushy on the outside and dries out easily on the grill.
- Pat the steak dry before it hits the heat. This is the step people skip and it’s the one that matters most. Wet steak steams instead of searing, so you end up with gray meat and no crust. Pat it dry with paper towels on both sides right before you season it with salt and pepper.
- Don’t reuse the marinade. It’s been sitting with raw beef, so pour it out. If you want a sauce, make a little extra marinade before you add the steak and set that portion aside.
- Slice against the grain. Look for the lines running through the cooked steak and cut across them, not with them. Skirt and flank are both stringy cuts, and slicing the wrong way is the difference between tender and chewy.
Beef Fajita Marinade Variations
This marinade is a good base, so it’s easy to change up depending on what you’re in the mood for.
- Make it spicy. Add a minced jalapeño or serrano, or a chopped chipotle in adobo with a spoonful of the sauce. The chipotle route adds smoke along with the heat, so you get both.
- Swap the citrus. Orange juice is what gives this marinade its slight sweetness, but pineapple juice works too and tenderizes the meat a little more. Grapefruit or just extra lime will give you something sharper and more tart.
- Add soy sauce or Worcestershire. A tablespoon of either brings a savory, salty depth that plays really well with beef. If you go this route, hold back on the salt when you season the steak.
- Use it on other proteins. The same marinade works on chicken thighs, shrimp, or pork. Shrimp only needs about 15 minutes since it’s delicate, and chicken can go the full 2 to 8 hours like the steak does.
More Marinades
Looking for more marinades? Here are some of our favorites:
- The Best Chicken Marinade (only 2 ingredients!)
- Skirt Steak Marinade
- Lime Chicken Marinade
- Mexican Chicken Marinade
Fajita Marinade Serving Suggestions
I think steak fajitas and homemade flour tortillas are a match made in heaven to make flank steak tacos. You could also serve it on top of some Mexican rice or cilantro lime rice with a generous scoop of guacamole.
More Mexican Recipes
The Best Beef Fajita Marinade
Ingredients
- ¼ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup orange juice
- 2 tablespoons lime juice (about 1 lime)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼ cup chopped cilantro
- 2 pounds skirt or flank steak
Instructions
- In a large resealable plastic bag (or a large mixing bowl), add all the ingredients except the steak and toss to combine.
- Add the steak and toss with marinade to coat.
- Seal the bag or cover and marinate in the fridge for 2 to 8 hours.
- Remove the meat from the marinade, transfer to a clean large surface and pat dry with paper towels.
- Season both sides of the steak with kosher salt and black pepper. Grill or cook to your desired internal temperature.
Notes
- Click here to learn how to cook steak fajitas as well as my favorite fajita veggies!
- This marinade is best when used with 1 or 2 pounds of protein. If you’re making more than 2 pounds, double the marinade.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Great ideas . I love this website .
Looking forward to trying this recipe.
Can I make it ahead of time and freeze it and when ready to fix, take it out of freezer and let thaw and fix?
Thanks in advance!
Linda
Hi Linda! You can definitely freeze this recipe!
Just made this today..Sooo good & easy! I did add a few more spices but meat was flavorful & tender. I let it sit for about 24 hrs & used skirt steak. Yum!
Excellent Fajita marinade that gives an authentic taste for for tenderized flank steak I use for to make them.
I am SO happy I finally tried this recipe. I love skirt steak and had this recipe bookmarked for a while but I just always forgot to buy orange juice. For some off reason we had some in the house and finally used it. I thought I made great skirt steak before— this completely changed the game. My fiancé said it was the best meat I’ve ever made. I’ll never use another skirt steak fajita recipe!
Thank you so much Liz! We’re glad you and your family enjoyed this recipe!
I was looking for a fajita marinate, found yours, it’s a keeper! Thanks, I plan to try more recipes from your site! Yum
This was so delicious!! Made exactly as the recipe called for and then topped the fajitas with a melted butter/lime juice/cilantro concoction. I overcooked the meat but the flavor was 100! Thank you
Delicious! Marinated some thin steaks for about 3 hours. Grilled and made “Taco Bowls.” The only changes I made were to use avocado oil instead of olive oil, and I omitted the smoked paprika because I don’t care for it in anything. I cook Mexican food a lot and will definitely add this to my recipes!
Hi Joni! Thank you so much for sharing! We’re glad you enjoyed this recipe 🙂
Exceptional flavor! I tried this recipe, and it’s a winner on the first try. I don’t usually use OJ in my recipes. It added an unexpected sweetness, not over powering, just right. Definitely a keeper. I’m going to try the taquitos next. I’m really looking forward to my next Isabel eats meal.
Hi Memi! Yes orange juice is definitely not common in recipes like this but it makes it so delicious! Thanks for sharing!
My husband cooked them in a cast iron skillet on the grill. So yummy